On 12/28/06, Marc Riddell michaeldavid86@comcast.net wrote: [snip]
I believe anyone who wishes to make edits to Wikipedia should have a single, individual, registered User Name, User Page and a Talk Page. With this, anytime a person makes an edit, creates a change, in the encyclopedia, their User Name is recorded with that edit. Accountability. Trackability.
[snip]
The overwhelming majority of the edits are very minor.
Do we really need accountability for spelling corrections? Does having a userpage (especially a blank one) really make anyone accountable?
If we make people who really don't want accounts get accounts, they will just make a new one every time they edit. Perhaps they will install a browser extension that automates this process. Will communication really be improved?
Of course, we could go further.. mail a copy of your government issued ID to the foundation before you can edit.. Then we might have some accountability. But would that really help? Would it be worth the costs?